Before returning to her room, to see her roommates for the last time as they'd pack and prepare to leave come the morning. Ichika had one last person, one very important person, that she needed to speak with. At least a little more, was the reigning hope. Sitting in the mall at a bench amid a few stores that weren't the main target, the one in question, Ichika waited for Shion to arrive. Having sent a message out some time ago she guided her where to meet and now she sat and waited.

In her blue kimono of floral design, the same pretty but somewhat humbler in how soft it appeared look she arrived on this planet in she looked down at her feet. Finding in the view some sense of pause to her thoughts as she waited and swung them gently. Soles of her footwear scrapping against the ground in the lowest point of the arc.

The Suzume looked at the stores one last time as she made her way through the mall, wearing simpler trousers and her jacket with some yak fur and a brown sparrow embroidered on her back - but a linen scarf lining her neck was some hint that she might be making an effort to look a bit... more, maybe?

She was quiet, thoughtful, her usual impassive look back on her face - but along with it there was a sense of... serenity. She smiled slightly, thinking it was funny she hadn't really spent that much time here. There was a lot she hadn't even had a chance to see. And still... she had learned much, and seen much.

She missed Kurikoo already. She would miss quite a few of the people she had met here. This was one of the few times she had a chance to spend more time closer to others from the MCA...

and soon she wouldn't even be officially part of the MCA anymore. She lingered on that thought for a moment. Sure she would keep close to the Sparrow... right?

As she saw Ichika sitting with her feet dangling, thought, all these thoughts evaporated from her mind. The small smile on the left corner of her lip unconsciously spread wider across her face. She approached the Doji silently, slowly but without hesitation. As she came closer to the Crane, she bowed, smile still creeping into her face. "Doji-san", she said, more easily letting go of the 'sama' this time. "May I?", she asked, pointing to the place beside her on the bench. That she was happy for the chance to speak to her again before leaving Asakaze was clear, but unspoken.

Watching her on her approach Ichika offered her little smile. Letting her feet settle on the ground as when Shion got close enough and returning the bow, albeit seated."Suzume-san!" she said, a happy lilt. Patting the seat beside her she nodded, "I'd love if you did! Thanks for coming," she added with a little chuckle. "How've you been the rest of the day?"

The Suzume nodded with a little smile of her own and settled besides Ichika, extending her legs to the front a bit as if stretching them.

"How could I not come, Doji-san?", she said, legs still extended, then slowly back to a relaxed sitting position.

"It's been... odd, I guess. But good odd. Taking a last look at some places and things. Rode dear Kurikoo one last time with the others this morning, went out for another longer solo ride with Stray and him after the ceremony. It's been a... Full week and a half, I guess we could say, ne?". Her flatter expression is back... but with a gentle, happy undertone, signing she may finally be more... peaceful, maybe.

"What about Ichika-san?", she says with the smile on the corner of her lips Ichika may know by now, finally turning her head to look a bit more directly at the Crane for a moment.

"I'm well enough.." she said, glancing around the mall for a moment on the thought. Looking back to Shion with her little smile. "I didn't spend too much time with my Otori, but.. she was a really sweet bird. Buuut.." she looked back out, started her people watching again as she lay her hands down on either side of her.

"I said goodbye to a friend today, one I'm going to miss a lot/ It was really hard- harder than most, but I got through it. Just like a few really good friends of mine, the one I said good-bye to too, helped me manage," she said, a little softer than other. Looking back to Shion she focused on her for a moment, her brow furrowing in thought.

"Hey," she broke the brief silence, a bright smile as she leaned forward on her seat. Glancing around quickly before smirking as she looked back, "Shion-san, wanna come do something with me quick? We don't really have a lot of time here, yea but.." she looked forward, pushing with her hands she lifted herself from the bench and turned around. "I have a cute idea, a friend of mine, Hiruma Chiyoko-sama, she's really nice," she waved the thought away, back on track, "we met," she glanced over toward the shop, pointed toward it, "over there. There's something I wanna do, before we run out of time here and won't get to talk again for a while."

Leaning forward she was angled toward Shion, brushing a little bit of hair over her ear as she smiled brightly, "Trust me?"

Shion nodded as Ichika spoke, understanding on her face. She had met some she could really call friends here as well. She had some people she trusted back... Home? The thought that the Miya Network has become 'home' made her smile awkwardly a bit. But... That kinda felt like it. And... She did keep in or close to Rokugan, so there was some sense in that too.

But 'friends', met in a different context... It was one of the few times she had found that. Especially in a relatively short time, as was the case here.

She nodded again, a supporting smile on her lips. She felt Ichika had... something else going on behind that nice, friendly, cheery surface. Her saying 'manage' gave some of that off, of course... But there was something in how she said things too.

Shion wasn't sure what it was, but...

She smiled again. Shion hoped with all her heart that, whatever it might be, she could be there for her and support her. Help her manage, too.

So the Sparrow had no doubts at all when the Doji stood up, turned around and addressed her. A pure, honest smile growing on her face, she nodded a bit as she answered with a steady, sure voice. "'Course I do! Just lead the way!"

Ichika smiled brightly, turning so that Shion could join her at her side. Watching her until she did and then with a little renewal to her smile she nodded and lead the way through the crowds. Making the short trip over toward the Snap! store, where all the picture booths were held.

"I came in here the other day when I saw one flashing," she explained as they stepped in, walking at a much slower pace now. "Met Hiruma Chiyoko here, she was really nice and we even went to Tanabata together as friends. Have some pictures to even remember it by," she said softly, with that little warm smile as they approached one machine and she put in the few zeni.

"Which is why I thought of coming here today, yea? We- we didn't get a whole lot of good chances to really meet each other, but I'm looking forward to trying really hard to work together," her finger paused as she did, the last zeni going in her finger lay over the slot which pushed it in. Holding in that moment for a moment she smiled and then looked over her shoulder to Shion, "I want a little memory of the now, yea? I don't really have a chance to capture this moment like I normally would, write a poem- I might reflect on it all later but, right now, I think a picture together would do nicely, yea? Something to hold onto until we can give this whole thing a good and proper try?" she looked to Shion, looking for that answer she almost knew was there.